Farmers leave Mumbai after woman protester unfurls tricolour

Thousands of cultivators, who hadarrived here from parts of Maharashtra to protest against theCentre's farm laws, left for their homes on Tuesday after anelderly woman agitator hoisted the national flag at the AzadMaidan in Mumbai.

To mark the Republic Day, the flag hoisting was heldat the ground in south Mumbai at around 9.30 am followingwhich the protesters headed towards their native places, theAll India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) said.

The farmers held a rally at the Azad Maidan on Mondayto express solidarity with peasants agitating near Delhiborders against the Centre's three new farm laws.

NCP president Sharad Pawar, Maharashtra Congress chiefBalasaheb Thorat, Peasants and Workers Party leader JayantPatil and various farmers' representatives had attended therally on Monday.

Around 15,000 farmers had arrived in the state capitalfor the rally, the Maharashtra unit of the AIKS earlier said.

''The flag hoisting ceremony was held at the AzadMaidan on Tuesday morning. After that, farmers headed towardstheir homes. The movement is in line with what we had decidedearlier,'' AIKS president Ashok Dhawale told PTI over phone.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, a pro-farmer body, hadgiven a nationwide call for a struggle from January 23 to 26,including rallies to Raj Bhavans (Governor Houses) in states.

Accordingly, the protesters in Mumbai took out a marchtowards the Raj Bhavan here after the public meeting at AzadMaidan on Monday.

However, police stopped the protesters mid-way.

A delegation of farmers was to meet and submit amemorandum to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

But, after they learnt that the governor was in Goa onMonday, the farmers' leaders accused Koshyari of not meetingthem despite giving an appointment himself.

The leaders charged Koshyari with ''running away'' toGoa and ''insulting'' farmers by not being in the Raj Bhavan toaccept their memorandum, copies of which they later tore tocondemn the governor's action.

The Raj Bhavan on Monday dismissed the claims and saidKoshyari, who is also the governor of Goa, left for theneighbouring coastal state to address its Assembly, the five-day session of which began on Monday.

The Raj Bhavan also said representatives of theSamyukta Shetkari Morcha were informed in advance that thegovernor would not be able to meet the delegation on Monday ashe would be in Goa to address its Assembly.